The system of auto trails was an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. Marked with colored bands on utility poles, the trails were intended to help travellers in the early days of the automobile.
Auto trails were usually marked and sometimes maintained by organizations of private individuals. Some, such as the Lincoln Highway, maintained by the Lincoln Highway Association, were well-known and well-organized, while others were the work of fly-by-night promoters, to the point that anyone with enough paint and the will to do so could set up a trail. Trails were not usually linked to road improvements, although counties and states often prioritized road improvements because they were on trails.
In the mid-to-late 1920s, the auto trails were essentially replaced with the United States Numbered Highway System. The Canadian provinces had also begun implementing similar numbering schemes.
Map
List of auto trails
NameNorth or east endSouth or west endU.S. Highways (approximate, based on 1926 plan and later additions)NotesHighway MarkerAlbert Pike HighwayHot Springs, ArkansasColorado Springs, ColoradoUS 270, US 64, US 183, US 154, US 50, US 85Aroostook TrailOld Town, MaineFairfield, MaineSR 100 (Maine), US 2Arrowhead TrailSalt Lake City, UtahLos Angeles, CaliforniaUS 91Served four states: Utah, Arizona, Nevada, CaliforniaAtlantic HighwayCalais, MaineMiami, FloridaUS 1, US 25, US 17, US 1Served DC and 14 states: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and FloridaAtlantic-Pacific HighwayNew York, New YorkLos Angeles, CaliforniaUS 1, US 211, US 15, US 33, US 60, US 52, US 460, US 50, US 54, US 70, US 60Atlantic Yellowstone Pacific HighwayChicago, IllinoisSioux Falls, South DakotaUS 20, US 218, US 18Baltimore PikePhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaBaltimore, MarylandBankhead HighwayWashington, D.C.San Diego, CaliforniaUS 1, US 15, US 70, US 170, US 29, US 78, US 70, US 67, US 80Bee Line HighwayChicago, IllinoisNew Orleans, LouisianaUS 51n/aBen Hur HighwaySt. Louis, MissouriFort Dodge, IowaBlack and Yellow TrailChicago, IllinoisYellowstone National ParkUS 41, US 16, US 14, US 16, US 20Blackhawk HighwayDixon, IllinoisBeloit, WisconsinRoute 2 (Ill), US 51n/aBroadway Of AmericaNew York, New YorkSan Diego, CaliforniaUS 80, SR 87 (Ariz), SR 84 (Ariz), US 80, US 67, US 70, US 41, US 70S, US 70, US 11W, US 11, US 211, US 1, US 40, US 13, US 1Later addition auto trail, established in 1930. One alignment used SR 87 and SR 84 between Gila Bend and Tucson, another followed US 80 between both cities.n/aCalifornia-Banff Bee LineLos Angeles, CaliforniaCranbrook, British ColumbiaCannon Ball RouteChicago, IllinoisHannibal, Missouri Capital RouteOmaha, NebraskaAustin, Texasn/aChicago, Kansas City and Gulf HighwayChicago, IllinoisGalveston, TexasColorado to Gulf HighwayDenver, ColoradoGalveston, Texas, and Brownsville, TexasUS 85, US 385, US 370, US 81, US 181Columbia River HighwayPendleton, OregonPortland, OregonUS 30Cooley HighwayGrand Rapids, MinnesotaSisseton, South Dakotan/aCornhusker HighwaySioux City, IowaOklahoma City, Oklahoman/aCuster Battlefield HighwayOmaha, NebraskaGlacier National Park, MontanaUS 75, US 16, US 116, US 87E, US 87Dallas-Canadian-Denver HighwayBoulder, ColoradoGalveston, TexasUS 85, US 50, US 83, US 70, US 77Daniel Webster HighwayChartierville, QuebecFranconia, New HampshireDetroit-Lincoln-Denver HighwayDetroit, MichiganDenver, ColoradoUS 12, US 32, US 38n/aDixie HighwayChicago, Illinois, and Sault Ste. Marie, MichiganMiami, FloridaRoute 1 (Ill), US 136, US 31, SR 37 (Ind), US 150, US 31WDixie Bee LineChicago, IllinoisNashville, TennesseeUS 41, US 241n/aDixie Overland HighwaySavannah, GeorgiaSan Diego, CaliforniaUS 80, US 84, US 380, US 366, US 80 Egyptian TrailChicago, IllinoisCairo, Illinois, Illinoisn/aElectric HighwayForsyth, MontanaHelena, MontanaUS 12, US 89n/aEvergreen National HighwayVictoria, British ColumbiaEl Paso, TexasUS 99, US 10, US 97, US 410, US 95, US 30, US 30N, US 91, US 95, US 66n/aFlorida Short Routen/aFrench Lick RouteCincinnati, OhioEvansville, IndianaUS 50, SR 37 (Ind), US 150, SR 56 (Ind), US 231, and SR 62 (Ind)n/aGeorge Washington Memorial HighwayCambridge, MassachusettsAgawam, Massachusettsn/aGeorge Washington National HighwaySavannah, GeorgiaSeattle, Washingtonn/aGeysers-to-Glaciers HighwayGlacier National Park, MontanaYellowstone National ParkUS 89, US 2, MT 213n/aGlacier to Gulf MotorwayCalgary, AlbertaTampico, Tamaulipasn/aGlacier TrailSeattle, WashingtonJacksonville, Floridan/aGrant HighwayChicago, IllinoisPortland, OregonUS 20n/aGreat Lakes to Florida HighwayCleveland, OhioJacksonville, FloridaUS 21, US 1n/aGreat Plains RoadPortal, North DakotaBrownsville, Texasn/aGreat White WayDavenport, IowaCouncil Bluffs, IowaUS 6Also known as the White Pole Roadn/aInternational Peace HighwayQuébec, Québec, and Rouses Point, New YorkLaredo, Texas, and Mexico Cityn/aJackson HighwayChicago, IllinoisNew Orleans, LouisianaUS 152, US 52, US 31, US 168, US 68, US 31, US 43, US 45, US 11Jefferson HighwayWinnipeg, ManitobaNew Orleans, LouisianaUS 59, US 2, US 71, US 10N, US 10, US 65, US 69, US 71/US 73E, US 73, US 75, US 69, US 67, US 271, US 80, US 171, US 71, US 61Jefferson Davis National HighwayWashington, D.C.San Diego, CaliforniaUS 1, SR 12 (Ga), US 29, US 80, US 43, US 90, US 96, US 277, US 90King of TrailsWinnipeg, ManitobaGalveston, Texas, and Brownsville, TexasUS 75/US 81, US 75/US 77, US 75, US 73, US 73E, US 50, US 73W, US 75, US 77, US 81, US 181, US 96n/aLackawanna TrailBinghamton, New YorkDelaware, New JerseyUS 11, US 611n/aLakes to Gulf HighwayDuluth, MinnesotaGalveston, Texasn/aLakes-to-Sea HighwayAtlantic City, New JerseyErie, PennsylvaniaUS 30, US 120, US 22, US 322, US 19n/aLee HighwayWashington, D.C.San Diego, CaliforniaUS 1, US 211, US 11, US 72, US 70, US 366, US 80, US 180, US 80, US 101 Lewis and Clark HighwayMissoula, MontanaLewiston, Idahon/aLiberty HighwayNew York, New YorkCleveland, OhioNew Jersey 4, New Jersey 17, NY 17, NY 430, NY 394, US 20Lincoln HighwayNew York, New YorkSan Francisco, CaliforniaUS 1, US 30, US 40, US 93, US 50, US 99, US 48Logan-Lee HighwayRock Island, IllinoisPaducah, KentuckyUS 67, Route 3 (Ill)n/aLone Star RouteChicago, IllinoisLake Charles, Louisiana (earlier Brownsville, Texas)US 66, US 67, US 63, US 165n/aLone Star TrailSt. Augustine, FloridaLos Angeles, CaliforniaUS 1, US 90, US 84, US 67, US 290, US 80, SR 86 (Ariz), US 80, SR 84 (Ariz), Maricopa–Casa Grande Highway (Ariz), Gila Bend–Maricopa Highway (Ariz), US 80n/aMagnolia Routen/aMeridian HighwayWinnipeg, ManitobaMexico CityUS 81n/aMississippi River Scenic HighwayWinnipeg, Manitoba, and Port Arthur, OntarioFort Myers, Florida, and Port Arthur, TexasUS 75, US 2, US 71, US 10N, US 10, US 61, US 55, US 61, US 90; US 49E, US 49, US 98, US 90, US 19, US 41Mississippi Valley HighwayEly, Minnesota, MinnesotaGulfport, Mississippi (earlier New Orleans, Louisiana)US 53, US 61, US 55, US 161, US 67, US 51, US 45, US 11, US 49Earlier known as the Burlington Wayn/aNational Old Trails RoadWashington, D.C., and Baltimore, MarylandLos AngelesUS 240/US 40, US 40, US 50N, US 50, US 350, US 85, US 70, US 66Served DC and 12 states: Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, CaliforniaNational Park-to-Park HighwayLoop connecting National ParksUS 99, US 48, US 40, US 99E, US 99, US 10, US 195, US 95, US 2, US 87, US 87W, US 20, US 185, US 85, US 50, US 285, US 450, US 550, US 64, US 666, US 66National Parks HighwayBoston, Massachusetts, and New York, New YorkSeattle, WashingtonAlso known as the Northwest Trailn/aNational Roosevelt Midland TrailWashington, D.C., and Newport News, Virginia (earlier Oyster Bay, New York)Los Angeles, CaliforniaUS 60, US 150, US 50, US 40, US 40N, US 40, US 40S, US 50, US 6n/aNew Santa Fe TrailKansas City, MissouriLos Angeles, CaliforniaUS 50, US 350, US 85, US 66n/aOld Oregon TrailIndependence, MissouriSeaside, Oregon, and Olympia, WashingtonUS 40, US 30, US 26, US 20, US 87E, US 30N, US 30n/aOld Spanish TrailSt. Augustine, FloridaSan Diego, CaliforniaUS 1, US 90, US 80Ozark TrailKansas City, Missouri; Hannibal, Missouri; St. Louis, Missouri; and Memphis, TennesseeDenver, Colorado, Las Vegas, New Mexico, New Mexico, and El Paso, TexasUS 60, US 63, US 66n/aPacific HighwayVancouver, British ColumbiaSan Diego, CaliforniaUS 99, US 40, US 101 Pershing WayWinnipeg, ManitobaNew Orleans, Louisianan/aPikes Peak Ocean to Ocean HighwayNew York, New YorkLos Angeles, California (earlier San Francisco, California)US 22, US 250, US 36, US 136, US 36, US 40N, US 40S, US 50, US 91Also known as the Pershing Transport RoutePuget Sound-to-Gulf Highwayn/aRed Ball Routen/aRiver-to-River RoadDavenport, IowaCouncil Bluffs, IowaSouthern National Highwayn/aSouthwest TrailChicago, IllinoisEl Paso, TexasUS 32, US 65, US 50S, US 81, US 160, US 281, US 60, US 366n/aSusquehanna TrailBuffalo, New YorkWashington, D.C.US 20, US 15, US 111/US 240 Theodore Roosevelt International HighwayPortland, MainePortland, OregonUS 302, US 2, US 11, US 104, US 23, US 2, US 95, US 195, US 295, US 410, US 30Three C HighwayCleveland, OhioCincinnati, OhioSR 3 (Ohio)n/aTransprovincial HighwayOttawa, OntarioToronto, OntarioLater Ontario Highway 2 and Ontario Highway 15n/aVictory HighwayNew York, New YorkSan Francisco, CaliforniaUS 1, US 40, US 40S, US 83, US 40N, US 40White River TrailSpringfield, MissouriPonca City, Oklahoman/aWhite-way 7 HighwayChicago, IllinoisOmaha, NebraskaUS 32In Iowa, created from segments of the River to River Road from Davenport to Redfield, and the Great White Way from Dexter to Council Bluffs.n/aWilliam Penn HighwayNew York, New YorkPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaUS 22Yellowstone HighwayDenver, ColoradoYellowstone National Parkn/aYellowstone TrailPlymouth, MassachusettsSeattle, WashingtonUS 20, US 30, US 41, US 110, US 10, US 212, US 12, US 10, US 195, US 295, US 410, US 97, US 10
See also U.S. Highway association
References
Sources
External links North American Auto Trails Richard F. Weingroff, From Names to Numbers: The Origins of the U.S. Numbered Highway System